Post your Annotated Bibliography paragraph here before 6pm on November 3, 2007. Review my sample below and check your paragraph for accuracy and that it is free of grammatical errors before you publish.
Ernest J. Gaines. A Gathering of Old Men. New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 1992. A Gathering of Old Men is a novel about racism. Set in the south in the 1970s, it is the story of a group of black men who band together to protect their friend who killed a white man in self-defense. Because each man says he committed the murder, the authorities, baffled, can do nothing. The power the men have, and the resulting tension that is created, slowly builds throughout the novel. Ernest Gaines uses characterization to move the plot towards its violent conclusion. Each character in the novel is detailed vividly, allowing the reader to sympathize with their dangerous situation. At times, the reader can even empathize with the characters. Gaines details the bond between each man to force the reader to experience the emotions each man feels. In doing so, Gaines forces the reader to examine their own prejudices and ponder what they would do in the face of injustice. On a scale of one to ten, A Gathering of Old Men is a solid ten, a novel that everyone should read.
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H.G. Wells. The Invisible Man. New York: Scholastic, 1987. The Invisible Man is a novel about a mysterious strange man. In the story, he arrives in a village to strike his bargain. Soon, crimes occur that cannot be solved or explained. All the townspeople realize the unthinkable truth; this man is invisible, and he is getting out of control. Ms. Hall, who is the lady that the stranger works for, starts to think that he was a criminal trying to escape from justice by wrapping himself up so as to conceal himself altogether from the eye of the police. H.G. Wells uses characterization to describe the man. The character is very detailed and visualizing, which allows the readers to understand the mood of the character. The way he describes what the invisible man wears, hints to the readers that this stranger is dangerous. Wells also attracts the readers by using sensory detalis making it sound more realistic. If i were to rate this book, so far, i would give it a seven. If you like to develop answers to your curiosities, this is the right novel to read.
Arthur Golden. Memoirs of a Geisha. New York: Vintage Books, 1997. Golden writes about a young woman who went by the name of Chiyo, the name she had before she became a Kyoto geisha. This story is told in her point of view. Chiyo was raised in the small town of Yoroido with her parents and sister. Later in the story she meets someone who changed her life completely and made her a geisha. In this book, Chiyo struggles with her own personal conflicts, even from the very beginning, when her mother was diagnosed with bone cancer. Golden uses similes often to describe the characters. For example, “And if a fishing net had been a sleeping creature, he wouldn’t even have awakened it, at the speed he worked” (Golden 9). Memoirs of a Geisha on a scale of one to ten, an 8 and a half.
Ann Brashares.The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf, 2001. The novel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by Ann Brashares. The Sisterhood includes four close friends, or "sisters". They are known as Lena, Tibby, Bridget, and Carmen. They find a pair of pants that fits all of them, even thought they are all different sizes and have different figures. To stay together and up to date, over the summer vacation they pass the pants to each other. First the pants go to Lena. She is in Greece with her grandparents. Lena sends the pants to Tibby. She is left at home to work all summer long. Then Tibby sends the pants to Carmen. She is with her dad in California for the summer. Finally, Carmen sends them to Bridget, who is at soccer camp in Baja California. When each of the sisters wears the pants, they come to realize their lives and are encouraged to change.
Marjane Satrapi. Perspolis. Paris: L' Association, 2000 Persepolis is a novel about the experiences of a young girl during the Islamic Revolution. Set in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution, it is the story of the author and the difficulties she experienced through the Revolution. Satrapi shows how the Islamic Revolution affected the common people. Satrapi's father told the next door neighbor that Mehri, Satrapi's friend, was a maid that had a crush on him. When the neighbor found out she was a maid he stopped flirting with her and talking to her through the window. This showed how social classes were imprtant in Tehran during the Revolution. Another important moment was when the Arabs attacked Tehran when Satrapi was in the shower. This showed that war happened whenever and wherever. Satrapi also desribes how her environment affected how she acted. If she was in school she was resticted to what she could say and do. At home there weren't set limits to what she could say or do. In Persepolis, Satrapi talks completely in first person point of view to describe what happened to her at this time. On a scale of one to ten, Persepolis is a nine because of the great details that allow a reader to feel as if they are part of the story line.
Darlene Akanmu ( B Block) 11/2/07
Lemony Snicket,The End, 1350 Avenue of the Americas New York, Harper Collins Publishers, 2006. The End is a novel with many twists and conflict. It is the story of three orphans who are stranded on an island. Once there, their luck changes until their enemy Count Olaf arrives on the same island. After that the orphans luck turns from good to horrible. Snicket vividly details challenges present to the Baudelaires in this book, from the islanders starting a mutiny, to the villain getting harpooned in the stomach. On a scale from one to five The End comes in with a perfect five out of five, a definite novel to read for fun.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor, New York: Vintage International, 1986. The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor is, in a few words a great book with many of suspenseful moments. This is a book about a man named Luis who is forced to survive out at sea after being stranded. This book keeps people guessing every time they turn a page. This novel uses Luis point of view to make people feel like they are actually in Luis's place. The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor earns a four out of five, the plot is good, but is something people have to stick with to become engaged to it.
Linda Sue Park. When My Name Was Keoko. New York: Dell Yearling, 2002. The novel When My Name Was Keoko is about two siblings named Sun-hee, and Tae-yul who live under Japanese oppression. The Japanese rulers have wiped out Korean culture by banning the Korean language, history, and conversing in public in Korean. As the war between Japan and Korea arrives, Tae-yul finds out that he is listed in the Japanese army to fight against his own country. He protects his uncle who is suspected of aiding the Korean resistance, while Sun-hee stays home and holds life and death secrets. Throughout the novel, Linda Sue Park uses suspense to allow readers to visualize the events happening in the story. As Sun-hee fears everyday that she might be caught hiding her uncle, suspense helps the reader to see what Sun-hee’s going through and feel the anxiety and emotions that result. From a one to ten, this novel is definitely a ten. It helps seek identity, and life lessons.
Jisup Kim, B Block
J.K Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s stone, Vancouver, Bloomsburg, 1999. Harry Potter and the sorcerers stone is a story about a young kid named Harry Potter. He is a powerful wizard, but he has yet to find out. Once he discovers that he is a wizard, danger starts entering his life. Evil wizards in the past keep on coming, trying to kill Harry so they can obtain his power. A great evil, voldamore, an evil wizard from long ago, comes back to finish what he had once started, kill Harry Potter. Can Harry save himself over and over again? His friends, Ron and Hermione, are always beside him and try to help him out no matter what. J.K Rowling is the best authors for kids who read novels about suspense. On a scale of one to ten, this novel is definitely a ten and kids who love suspense and magic, should read this book,
Tirath Singh, A block
Art Spiegelman. Maus. New York:Pantheon, 1986. Maus is a novel about racism and discrimination. It is a biography about the authors fathers accounts of the Holocaust. Vladek, Art Spiegelman's father, is telling Art his story so Art can record it and write the story. The story is told in first person point of view which makes it even more interesting to read. Art Spiegelman uses pictures in his comic-book form of his fathers story.The plot is very interesting. It begins with in the current time with Art and Vladek talking. It then goes back in time and Vladek details his story to Art very well. Vladek explains the major times when th Nazis where moving the Jews in and out of their homes. They were moved quite often and each time Vladek speaks about it, he details the event very well. Overall, the novel is a nine. If you are interested in books about the Holocaust and World War II this book is for you.
Laurel Haim
B Block
11-3-07
J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. New York: A. Levine Books, 2007. The book called “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows” is a book about doubt. Throughout the entire book, Harry doubts whether he can defeat the evil Voldmort. Harry starts to turn on all of his friends because of his doubt. Harry was always full of stress because Voldmort was always one step ahead of him. Voldmort was always very successful in stopping Harry from finding the horcrex’s. The author made me think that it was impossible for Harry to ever defeat Voldmort. Harry was turning on his friends and eventually was becoming more and more alone. This book is very interesting to me and I am excited to finish it. I do think that if Harry keeps going in the direction that he was going in, I cannot see Harry ever defeating Voldmort.
Joseph Santangelo
A Block
11/3/07
Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor. New York: Vintage International. 1986. The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor is about a man named Luis who is in the navy. On one of his trips with the navy he finds himself in a very strange predicament. As Luis is on his way home a storm arises at sea, and he is cast overboard and stranded in a raft. For ten days Luis has to battle the harshness of loneliness and the strain his body is going through while being at sea. After ten days Luis finally makes it back to land fatigued and famished. Luis is then transported back home where he is nursed to health and retells his time at sea. Gabriel Garcia Marquez uses sensory details in a way that puts the reader in the raft. The setting seems so real that the reader can imagine the rocking of the raft and smell the crisp salty sea air. By reading this book, the reader is lost in the surreal environment created by the author. On a scale of one to ten, The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor deserves a ten, this novel is a must read.
Joseph Piazza
B-Block
In Death Note: Volume 1 by Tsugumi Ohba the protagonist is a nineteen year old high school senior named Light Yagami. Light is a bored genius who, one day at school, finds a small black note book called the Death Note. The rules state that if the name of a person is written inside of the book, that person will die of a heart attack unless the circumstances are altered. Now with the Death Note in his possession, Light plots to purify the world from the evil and corrupt and become the god of the new world he reins over. With the shinigami Ryuk at Lights side, Light will make sure that he gets his way, no matter what. The graphic novel is a great book with a great story. One of many the first volume gives a lot of detail to the protagonists and his goals.
Bryan Rivell
A Block
11/3/07 6:00 PM
Chris Crowe. Mississippi Trial, 1995. New York: Speak imprint of Penguin Putnam Inc.2003.Mississippi Trial, 1955 is a story based on facts that occurred in the south during segregation. Chris Crowe writes about the experience that sixteen-year-old Hiram Hillburn faced while visiting his grandfather in Greenwood, Mississippi. While Hiram is in Mississippi, he meets Emmett Till, a black boy who is also visiting the south from Chicago. Later, it is reported that Emmett Till is dead and, his body is found badly beaten in a river. Due to racism that occurred in the south, Emmett was killed, because he whistled at a white woman and her husband found out. The two white men convicted of the death of Emmett Till were found innocent, because the color of skin determined if they would be found guilty or not. After the death of his new friend, Hiram realizes the stronghold that racism had on the south, and is faced between with the conflict of fear and doing what is right. Crowe uses conflict and tragedy in his story to show how hard it was for Hiram to overcome his hard situation of being put on trial in a mainly white courtroom. Mississippi Trial, 1995 would be rated a ten, because it is a story that brings the reader to the exact point and situation of the main character. This story is also based on events that happened around five decades ago and gives the reader a chance to experience the reality of racism in the south, and how it relates in today's society.
Racquel Wood
B-Block
Gary Soto. Novio Boy. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1997. This novel is about a boy named Rudy that asks an eleventh grader out on a date when he’s a ninth grader. Even though he is two years younger the girl still says yes. Then Rudy starts to have money problems, and he asks his mom for money. Later he needs advice from his Uncle Juan on how to behave. Most of the people that Rudy needs help from don’t want to help him because they are against him going out with a girl that is two years older than him except for his uncle Juan. The author uses setting and visualization at the end of the novel in Steaks! Steaks! E Mas Steaks!! By explaining the singers on stage singing in Spanish, the waiters serving all the tables in their white and black suits with the towel around their arms, and Rudy’s parents sitting at the table across from him with a big smile on while he’s on his date with his girlfriend. On a scale from 1-10, this is an 8 it was good, but a few parts of the book was either boring or confusing. Cory Moser B-block
Art Spiegelman. Maus. New York City: Pantheon books, 1986. Maus is a graphic novel about racism. The story takes place in Poland, during World War two. The main character is a Jewish man named Vladek. Vladek is a young worker who gets married. After several years Vladek has a son. Later, Vladek is captured by Nazi’s and is forced to do work under harsh conditions. After about five months, Vladek manages to barely escape from the Nazi soldiers. The author makes the conflict very realistic and somewhat scary. The Jewish characters in the story experience a great deal of torture and racism. Spiegelman makes the true story of Vladek very interesting by making the conflict intense. The violence in the novel makes the reader want to know more about the protagonist. On a scale of one to ten Maus is a nine; Maus is informative because it accurately depicts the Holocaust.
Simit Christian
A block
11/3/07
Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities. New York: New American Library, 2007. A Tale of Two Cities is a novel about a man named Jarvis Lorry. Lorry is on a coach trying to get to Paris, France. All that can be said, at the moment, is how great Dickens does with visualization and characterization. One can see the coach, the fog, and the characters’ expressions. Dickens uses many sensory details for the five senses, especially sight, and words to describe the conditions of the objects and people he describes. That’s what made visualization and characterization possible in this novel. On a scale of one to ten, A Tale of Two Cities is a nine.
Michael Appelgate
B block
11/3/07
Gary Soto. Novio Boy A Play. New York: Scholastic Inc., 1997. Novio Boy is about a teenage boy in highschool, whose name is Rudy. Rudy likes a girl Patricia, but she is a couple of years older, and this causes conflicts. Rudy and Patricia are a little nervous about their age difference, and their friends and family are worried about the age difference as well. Gary Soto builds up the story with details of imagery, and conflicts in his book. When Patricia was having her hair at Rudy’s moms salon, Soto explained exactly how the hair salon looked. Soto wanted the reader to picture the scene as if they can be in it. Soto also builds up conflicts from the age difference to everyone showing up at the restaurant. At the end of the book, all the loose ends were tied up, and importance of all the characters were explained. To Rudy and Patricia, age didn’t matter, and at the end of the book, Soto shows why age doesn’t matter. On a scale from one to ten, Novio Boy is a seven; it is a cute book that shows readers some things about teens.
Brianne Hannafey
B Block
11/3/07
David Pelzer. A Child Called It. Omaha City, Neb: Omaha Press, 1993. Health Communications Inc. A Child Called It is a novel about one child’s will to survive his abusive mother. Set in Daly City, California, it is about a young boy not known as a child but as “it”. David became more and more lonely as the days passed by, and the cruelty of his mother became somewhat of a routine for him. He was ordered to sleep on an army cot in his cold basement, was ordered to wash the dishes, and eat scraps of food off of the floor. Tension and pain clearly were expressed throughout the novel, and the intriguing account of a child’s harsh beatings build slowly into the novel. If David was being a “bad boy” he would be severely beaten, and sent to do more household chores. There was even one time where his mother stabbed him. David Pelzer uses characterization throughout the story, and the conflict is clearly depicted. He uses characterization to modify and show his emotions growing up, leading to the intense conclusion. David, as a child was ordered to eat his baby brother’s wastes, as well as his own. “Eat it, she said as I looked down into the soiled diaper. I told myself I was going to die and nobody could stop me from going into an eternal dream. Eat it, she sneered”. (Pelzer 55). His mother even put him in a locked bathroom with ammonia, so he could possibly choke to death. The characters in the novel are eloquently described in the story and leads to a visualized interpretation of the story’s conflict. Pelzer details the characters so vividly that the reader can feel the pain that is clearly reflected. Pelzer urges the readers to keep the nook in their hand, and makes them think what they would do if their parent abused them. David Pelzer was a strong boy as a child and although his mother abused him, he still kept to his dreams and goals. From a one to a ten, this book would most definitely be rated a ten, a novel well worth reading.
Marissa Mule, A- Block.
David Pelzer. A Child Called It. Omaha City, Neb: Omaha Press, 1993. Health Communications Inc. A Child Called It is about one boys story of survial.It was one of the most severe cause of child abuse in the history of Califorina, He had such a sick, and twisted mother that no one can imagine. But his life wasn't always filled with beatings,starvation, and cruel punishments. At one time he did have a normal life. But that changed. His mother nearly left him for dead plenty of times with her sick games. He was no longer consisdered a boy to his mother he was considered an "IT". But to survive he had to learn how to play his mother's games. Dave's bed was a army cot in the cold basement. He wasn't aloud to play with his brothers, he would have to stand at the bottom of the basement stairs until his mother yelled at him to do his chores. He couldn't eat with the family, and sometimes he wouldnt eat at all. If he ate it would be some thing so nasty and vial that not even the dog would eat. He wore the same old, smelly, torn cloths for three years. No one of the outside world knew about his living nightmare. His dreams kept him alive. When he got punihed his mother said it was because he was a bad boy. From drinking ammonia, to stabbing him were punishments. He would lay upon the stove as his mother turned the stove on, his mother would slam his head into counters and mirrors. When he would sneak food his mother would make him throw it up then scoop it out with a bowl and eat it. She would lock him in the bathroom with ammonia. She only abused David none of her other sons. This book is one of those book that you cant put down till you finish reading it.
Samantha Grasso
Block G
Walter Dean Myers.Fallen Angels. New york: Scholastic Inc, 1988. Fallen Angels is a story about brotherhood and survival. It is set in Vietnam during the Vietnam war and is told in the voice of Ritchie Perry, a young boy fresh out of high school. Once he is in Vietnam, he quickly bonds with his "hooch", and they all stick together in battle. As some of the members die off and go home, the ofiginal members feel weird the new members. They have to gat over that because they have some heavy battles ahead and everyone needs to protect each other from dying. The characters all have one goal,to survive. Myers uses point of view to strengthen the bond between the charracters and the reader. Since the book is told in first person point of view,the reader knows every personal feeling the character has. The reader may feel as though they are the main charcter,close to the other characters. On a scale of one to ten,Fallen Angels is a ten so far.
Walter Dean Myers. Fallen Angels. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1988. Fallen Angels is a story about brotherhood and survival. It is set in Vietnam during the Vietnam war and is told in the voice of Ritchie Perry, a young boy fresh out of high school. Once he is in Vietnam, he quickly bonds with his "hooch", and they all stick together in battle. As some of the members die off and go home, the original members feel weird the new members. They have to gat over that because they have some heavy battles ahead and everyone needs to protect each other from dying. The characters all have one goal, to survive. Myers uses point of view to strengthen the bond between the characters and the reader. Since the book is told in first person point of view, the reader knows every personal feeling the character has. The reader may feel as though they are the main character, close to the other characters. On a scale of one to ten, Fallen Angels is a ten so far.
George Orwell. Animal Farm. California: Signet Classic, 1996. Animal Farm is a book about government and power. The story takes place on a farm where the animals feel abused. Under the coalition of the pigs, the "smartest animals", the animals take the farm driving the human owner off the land. Two pigs named Napoloean and Snowball, spilt and the animals are forced to choose who they will side with. Power struggles begin and a democracy turns into a dictatorship. The government is according to the pigs. On a scale of one to ten it is an eigth. It is quick to read, but there are many charcters and the story leads in many directions making it hard to follow at times.
Jean Craighead George. My Side of the Mountain. New York: Puffin Books 1991. My Side of the Mountain is a novel about a young boy trying to live on his own. It takes place in a small town near a large forest. The main character, Sam Grimbley, has a fight with his parents and then gets an idea to move to the woods and leave modern life. Sam makes his own cloths, builds a shelter, and even trains a hawk to kill small game animals for him to eat. The plot explores how people do not need modern technology to live. Sam proves it. Setting was a very important part of the book My Side of the Mountain. Jean Craighead George writes about how some nights are cold, how hard it is to live in the wilderness, and the terrain of the mountains. Jean Craighead George also uses great description. In the book there are many scenes that are described very well. The author even put little sketches in the book if the reader did not know what something was or if the reader could not picture it. The way the author describes everything the reader doesn’t even really need the pictures. My rating of this book on a scale of one to ten is definitely an eight. If I had to read any book over and over again My Side of the Mountain would be that book.
Louis Ferrara 11/4/07 A-block
Judy Blume.Forever.New York:Simon Pulse, 1975. Forever is a novel about sex and peer pressure. Set in New Jersey the story is about teenagers falling in love and having to make the right choices and ignoring everyone else's oppinion. Not only were Katherine and Michael, main charecters, faced with hard choices but they had to know when it was the right time for both of them to want to take a step further in their relationship. Imagery is used in the story when the couple goes on vacation and decide to spend some time together. During this time intimate things happened between the two. The author of the story used alot of detail to describe everything from what the room looked like to what was going on between the couple,it made me as a reader feel like I was there. Rating this book i would give it a ten becasue of all the deatils given in the story to make me become one with the book and also because the sotry helped me as a teen realize what decisions I will have to face.
Rosa Carucci
A-Block
Jean Craighead George. My Side of the Mountain. New York: Puffin Books 1991. My Side of the Mountain is a novel about a young boy trying to live on his own. It takes place in a small town near a large forest. The main character, Sam Grimbley, has a fight with his parents and then gets an idea to move to the woods and leave modern life. Sam makes his own cloths, builds a shelter, and even trains a hawk to kill small game animals for him to eat. The plot explores how people do not need modern technology to live. Sam proves it. Setting was a very important part of the book My Side of the Mountain. Jean Craighead George writes about how some nights are cold, how hard it is to live in the wilderness, and the terrain of the mountains. Jean Craighead George also uses great description. In the book there are many scenes that are described very well. The author even put little sketches in the book if the reader did not know what something was or if the reader could not picture it. The way the author describes everything the reader doesn’t even really need the pictures. My rating of this book on a scale of one to ten is definitely an eight. If I had to read any book over and over again My Side of the Mountain would be that book.
Louis Ferrara 11/4/07 A-block
Judy Blume. Just as Long as We're Together. New York: Yearling, 1987. In Just as Long as We're Together, there is points of visualization and conflict in the novel. The main characters name is Stephanie Hirsch. She has a best friend named Rachel. When a new girl named Alison moves onto the block, Stephanie and Alison become good friends. Rachel just wants it to be she and Stephanie. Three's a crowd in Rachel's case. They are all beginning Junior High, so they all go through the experiences of growing up. With trust, loyalty, conflict, and the truth of friendship, this novel was great! Judy Blume writes very descriptive in this novel. She also uses emotion and sensory details which really makes you feel like your right next to the main characters. The novel makes you feel like you are pulled into the story. On a scale of one to ten, Just as Long as We're Together is a high ten! It's a book thats enjoyable to read. Everyone should consider reading it.
by Angela Matrone. A block :)
George Orwell. Animal Farm. New York; Russel Baker, 1996. Animal Farm is a novel about political power and how government can be corrupted with too much power. In the story a farm is taken over by mistreated animals, it was an act of payback. The animals become the new owners of the farm, and they create a paradise of progress, justice, and equality. George Orwell uses idealism by using animals to portray the mistakes in our government, mistakes like voting George Bush twice, and having the government trace our calls. George Orwell makes it clear that wherever and whenever freeedom is attacked under whatever banner, we are never safe there are always corrupted leaders who cannot control their own power. Also this book is manual of government power it explains how sometimes people act like animals when they have too much power.
Anonymous- Mario Lucero
A - Block
Robert Keller Block G
Annotated Bibliography
Art Spiegelman. Maus. New York: Pantheon Books, 1992.
Maus by Art Spiegelman is a two part graphic novel. There are two plots in the story. The first plot is about Spiegelman's parents surviving the Holocaust and the second is Spiegelman attempting to mend his rocky relationship with his father. The plots are intertwined because Spiegelman visits his father hear the story about his parents because he wants to spend time with his father. Part One is about Spiegelman"s father before World War II and ends during the middle of the war. Part Two picks up where Part One left off and ends when Spiegelman's father passes away. Spiegelman uses animals to represent the different people involved in World War II. The Jewish people are mice, the Germans are cats, the Polish people are pigs, and the Americans are dogs. This is an excellent use of personification. The Jews were like mice because they were a minority. The Germans represented cats chasing mice. The Poles were pigs because pigs are neutral animals. The Americans were dogs because dogs don't like cats. This helps with visualizing what it was like to be on each side of World War II. Maus by Art Spiegelman is an interesting piece of literature combined with art. On a scale of one to ten, ,Maus gets a ten.
Robert Keller Block G
Annotated Bibliography
Art Spiegelman. Maus. New York: Pantheon Books, 1992.
Maus by Art Spiegelman is a two part graphic novel. There are two plots in the story. The first plot is about Spiegelman's parents surviving the Holocaust and the second is Spiegelman attempting to mend his rocky relationship with his father. The plots are intertwined because Spiegelman visits his father hear the story about his parents. Part One is about Spiegelman's father before World War II and ends during the middle of the war. Part Two picks up where Part One left off and ends when Spiegelman's father passes away. Spiegelman uses animals to represent the different people involved in World War II. The Jewish people are mice, the Germans are cats, the Polish people are pigs, and the Americans are dogs. This is an excellent use of personification. The Jews were like mice because they were a minority. The Germans represented cats chasing mice. The Poles were pigs because pigs are neutral animals. The Americans were dogs because dogs don't like cats. This helps with visualizing what each group involved in World War II was like. Maus by Art Spiegelman is an interesting piece of literature combined with art. On a scale of one to ten, Maus gets a ten.
Lemony Snicket,The End, 1350 Avenue of the Americas New York, Harper Collins Publishers, 2006. The End is a novel with many twists and conflict. It is the story of three orphans who are stranded on an island. Once there, their luck changes until their enemy Count Olaf arrives on the same island. After that the orphans luck turns from good to horrible. Snicket vividly details challenges present to the Baudelaires in this book, from the islanders starting a mutiny, to the villain getting harpooned in the stomach. On a scale from one to five The End comes in with a perfect five out of five, a definite novel to read for fun.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor, New York: Vintage International, 1986. The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor is, in a few words a great book with many of suspenseful moments. This is a book about a man named Luis who is forced to survive out at sea after being stranded. This book keeps people guessing every time they turn a page. This novel uses Luis point of view to make people feel like they are actually in Luis's place. The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor earns a four out of five, the plot is good, but is something people have to stick with to become engaged to it.
Shawn Cybulska, Block-G
David Pelzer. A Child Called It. Omaha City, Neb: Omaha Press, 1993. Health Communications Inc. A Child Called It is a novel about one child’s will to survive his abusive mother. Set in Daly City, California, it is about a young boy not known as a child but as “it”. David became more and more lonely as the days passed by, and the cruelty of his mother became somewhat of a routine for him. He was ordered to sleep on an army cot in his cold basement, was ordered to wash the dishes, and eat scraps of food off of the floor. Tension and pain clearly were expressed throughout the novel, and the intriguing account of a child’s harsh beatings build slowly into the novel. If David was being a “bad boy” he would be severely beaten, and sent to do more household chores. There was even one time where his mother stabbed him. David Pelzer uses characterization throughout the story, and the conflict is clearly depicted. He uses characterization to modify and show his emotions growing up, leading to the intense conclusion. David, as a child was ordered to eat his baby brother’s wastes, as well as his own. “Eat it, she said as I looked down into the soiled diaper. I told myself I was going to die and nobody could stop me from going into an eternal dream. Eat it, she sneered”. (Pelzer 55). His mother even put him in a locked bathroom with ammonia, so he could possibly choke to death. The characters in the novel are eloquently described in the story and leads to a visualized interpretation of the story’s conflict. Pelzer details the characters so vividly that the reader can feel the pain that is clearly reflected. Pelzer urges the readers to keep the book in their hand, and makes them think what they would do if their parent abused them. David Pelzer was a strong boy as a child and although his mother abused him, he still kept to his dreams and goals. From a one to a ten, this book would most definitely be rated a ten, a novel well worth reading.
Marissa Mule, A- Block.
Stephanie Meyer. Twilight. New York:
Little Brown; October 5, 2005.
The novel Twilight takes place in Forks, Washington. It is about a girl named, Isabella Swan who moved to Forks from Phoenix, Arizona to live with her father. Bella’s life then turns upside down when she falls in love with a vampire named, Edward Cullen. Stephanie Meyer has an amazing hook. She makes it so that you never want to put the book down. The way she writes the book is amazing as well, it seems as if you are there, it seems real. If you read the book you shall know exactly what I mean. If this book should ever be rated from 1 to 10 it should be without a doubt a 10. It is truly a book that really gets to you.
Vanessa Cucuzza
11/8/07
G: Block
Kristen Heitzmann.A Rush of Wings. Bloomington Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers 2003, A rush of Wings is a novel about a young women trying to start or build up a new life for herself by being remote from her family. The main character Noelle St.Claire is an average women, engaged but runs away from her home because, of images or pictuers she was picturing in her head. Noelle is afraid of the life she has for reasons that only she can understand. In this book er father is portrayed asa very wealthy and well brought up gentlemen. he is extremly worried when he finds out that his daughter is missing. All she had left for him was a voicemail at his work phone tellign him not worry and that she is fine. Suspicion and anxiety is filled within the story all beacuse4 of the major conflict of Noelle St. Claire running away.
Jazmin Roman B-Block 11/08/07
JK Rowling.Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York : A livine, 2007. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a novel about magic. Set in England at the magical school Hagwarts. It is the story of a group of magical students who band togther to kill Lord Valedmart, devil and one of the most powerful wizards in the magical world. Harry Potter is determined to kill Valedmart.The power he has and the spells he has learned have only become stronger. His anger and and tenison quickly builds throughout the novel. Jk Rowling uses characterization to move the plot quickly towards the conlusion.JK rowling allowed the reader expirence the emotions, thougths, and even feelings each charcter experinced. Doing so, the author had the readers dig deep inside themselves to find their own identity, dignity, and generally to find oneself. The author forced the reader to ponder, what would you do in this case of injustice? Would you seek revenge against the man who has attempted to kill you amd your friends, and has killed your parents and at most the only person he had left in his life, his godfather. On a scale of one to ten, A Gathering of Old Men is a solid ten, hands down. The novel is riveting and intense, mysterious and unpredictable, definatley a novel that everyone should read!
Briana Kohm
A-Block
Mark Mathabane.Kaffir Boy. New York, New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998. Kaffir Boy is a story of a young boy who is stuck in a world filled with poverty and perversion. Taking place in South Africa in 1965, Johannes and his family are fighting to make sure they stay alive. Faced with many struggles such as starvation and the intrusion of the Peri-urban, the family tries to make a hard time easier. This causes Johannes to start stealing food and his mother to beg for it since they have no money to afford food. The loss if food also causes his siblings to become sick and Johannes to pass out a times. The many encounters with the Peri-urban are so traumatic that he gets nightmares at night. Mathabane uses such intense details and gets inside you to make you feel Johannes’s pain and sorrows. Kaffir Boy deserves a ten for its outstanding quality.
November 3, 2007 9:17 PM
In Brian's Winter by Gary Paulsen, the conflict is described very well. The novel is an alternate ending to what would have happened if Brian wasn't rescued at the end of the summer. The book starts off with Brian running out of food from the emergency pack, he didn't actually think he would be stranded fro this long. "He tried to ration the food out but found it impossible, and within two weeks he had eaten it all, even the package of dried prunes..."(Paulsen). The climax captures the reader well because it is a bit comical and serious at the same time.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor. New York: Vintage International, 1986. The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor is about how one man survives at sea. A sailor named Luis fell off a destroyer and was stranded at sea. For 10 days without food or water, Luis tries to survive off fish and seawater. Hunger drives Luis insane, and, at times, he starts seeing his dead friends and other illusions. The will to survive let Luis live for days and days without a sufficient amount of food or water. Gabriel Garcia Marquez uses foreshadowing in the beginning of the novel by hinting that something bad was about to happen to Luis. Imagery was also used many times throughout the entire novel; one vivid example of imagery was when Luis was trying to pluck the feathers from a bird he had killed. Further, of the situations in the novel were symbolic, like the watch Luis coveted. The novel makes the reader contemplate about what a person may do if they found themselves in the same predicament as Luis. On a scale of one to ten, The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor is a perfect ten; worthwhile novels are hard to come by in this era.
Ho Lee
B Block
11/8/07
Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor. New York: Vintage International, 1986. The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor is a novel about a sailor's journey by himself, abandonned out in the open seas. Luis Alejandro Velesco was stranded out at sea for ten days. In luis case ten days felt like weeks and weeks would feel like months and so on and so forth. For ten days luis lived on top of a raft in the middle of the deep blue sea. luis went through many obstacles to survive on his own. Luis had to conquer his fear of sharks, because everyday they would show up and swim slowly around his raft. One day luis caught a seagull, he was planning on eating it but he couldn't because he would be breaking a sailor code, so luis though it to the sharks. Luis went through so much torture of being alone that it was a relief he made it out alive.
Attallah Shabazz.The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley. New York: The Random House Publishing Group,1999.The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley is a novel about the Political Activist Malcolm X. The Book uses conflict to help catch the attention of readers. The novel discusses Malcolm X's personal struggle with Racism and his journey to Islam. The novel also details Malcolm X's Journey on his 30 day pilgrimage to Mecca and various other locations he traveled too. The book is a reflection of Malcolm X's life to help draw followers to the Islamic Religion. If I were to rate this book I would give it a Nine. The book is very detailed and pulls in the reader with such details. It also helps readers visualize what Malcolm X's life was like during the time he lived.
Maya Pressie
G-Block
Wing Sum Winsome Cheung
F block
2007/11/10
In the story Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, the author used many detail and description to make readers fall into the story with the main characters Amir. This story is about Amir, an Afghan man who lived in Kabul during his childhood. He and his friend Hassan. They always play and share interesting stories to each other everyday happily. Meanwhile, one day they were having a kite fighting and something terrible happened. It ruined the friendship between Amir and Hassan and they don’t play with each other anymore. After many years, the meet each other again, their relationship become better. However, Amir feel really guilt because he could forget how he treat his best friend Hassan before and he couldn’t forgive himself. Therefore, he went back to his Kabul, hoping that he could help his best friend. This is a story about the cost of betray and to try to expiate after. Moreover, it’s a story about how Amir’s father love him but lie to him. The author also used many background information about Afghanistan to create the feeling of Kabul to make readers to be in the story with the character as the story goes on.
sharon G. Flake. Money Hungry New York City. Scholastic Inc, 1998. In this novel, Raspberry the main character is always seeking for ways in order to make money. She lives with her mother and her dog, Charlie, in the projects. They do not have a lot of money and are greatful for the little things. A while back, Raspberry and her mother had it extremely tough. They lived in a broken down van, parked in a junk yard. The wind sheild was broken and it was very cold. Sharon Flake writes in first person. She talks to the reader as if we are her friend, or even her diary. Raspberry gets in a lot of trouble during school, because she is always selling things to her schoolmates. Some of the things she sells break easily, but she refuses to give refunds. Sharon Flake uses many sensory details. She explains to the reader exactly how she feels, and describes using imagery. I can picture the scenery cleary. I would recommend this book to any teenage girl who is around my age. We can relate to her in some ways.Ally Beals, F block
the book i am reading is chicken soup for the teenage soul. the book is really about everything because it discusses love,relationship,and life.it is a book most teen can relate to and i think that is good,because most kids dont have that parent figure in theire life and thiz is a goood book for kids like that.this book also talks about kids on the streets and how to prevent that from happing to them.Overall this is a good book for kids of all ages to read.
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